Project management basics

In the context of an FLL team

​

August 2025

2

Prepared by Juan Soto

Reviewed by Elaine Michaud

Welcome & Objectives

• FLL is about creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving
• Goal of project management: staying on track while learning and having fun
• Be here today at 9am required planning, task segmentation, estimation, smooth execution 🡪 early or late arrival
• Real-world parallels (engineering teams, product launches, etc.)
• Project management tools are only that, tools to facilitate achieving the goal
• "Better planning = less stress and more time for innovation"

​

What Is Project Management?

• Project management is the art of organizing time, people, and tasks to meet goals
• The FLL spin: It can be applied to FLL’s pillars
• Robot design and Robot Game
• Innovation Project
• Core Values
• Remember Gracious Professionalism across all activities

​

Explorers experience sharing

Objective

Define clear objective for the season

• Ensure input from all team members and parents is collected
• Get familiar with judging Rubrics to define strategy
• Keep it realistic to team maturity, skill level, commitment and level of interest
• Could be attend, participate, compete, win at various levels of the FLL program (scrimmage, regional, state, national/international)
• Ensure future project activities support the objective

​

Explorers experience sharing

https://firstinspires.blob.core.windows.net/fll/challenge/2024-25/fll-challenge-submerged-rubrics-color.pdf

Core resources for success

• Team member selection and commitment
• Parents engagement and commitment
• Resourcing for main materials (including $ as needed): table, Lego set (s), place to meet, logistics and transportation, snacks
• Basic team rules
• Decision making responsibilities (coach, assistant, team admins, parents, team member)

Explorers experience sharing

Key Roles & Responsibilities

• Team Roles
• Project Manager: oversees progress, timelines, and team coordination
• Robot Builders & Coders: responsible for designing, programming, and testing
• Innovation Researchers: dive into the challenge topic and develop a creative solution
• Core Values Leads: ensure teamwork and inclusion are practiced
• Assign based on strengths and interests, create R&R Matrix
• Keeping it flexible—FLL is about learning and growing
• Let kids explore, switch, and learn from each other
• Understand and share commitment required, team size, skills

Explorers experience sharing

Planning the Season

• 📅 Timeline creation, use visual tools like a Gantt chart
• Season kickoff → competitions → judging sessions
• ✅ Setting goals
• Mission milestones for robot design, project research deadlines, coding and testing, outreach
• 🔁 Iteration cycles: Plan → Do → Review → Improve
• Discuss “buffer time” for setbacks or surprises

Explorers experience sharing

Task Breakdown & Prioritization

• Teach kids how to break big tasks into smaller, achievable goals
• Use real examples: "Build robot base" → sub-tasks: gather parts, test sensors, refine design
• Show how visual tools like Kanban boards, sticky notes or LEGO sorting bins can make tracking fun
• Utilize prioritization strategies:
• Eisenhower Matrix 🡪 Important/Urgent sorting
• Time blocks for high-focus tasks
• Keep the workload balanced across team members (Matrix!)

​

​

​

Explorers experience sharing

Team Communication & Meetings

• Setting up regular check-ins and working sessions
• Encourage open discussion and active listening
• Set meeting routines: weekly updates, mini stand-ups at the start of sessions
• Create check-in questions: “What did I do? What am I stuck on? What do I need?”
• Encourage respectful dialogue and turn-taking
• Suggest tools: shared journals, Google Docs, voice memos for younger learners, collaboration social media

​

Explorers experience sharing

Tracking Progress

• Use progress boards or burndown charts
• Celebrate milestones: “We finished our base robot!” with small rewards or cheers
• Teach flexibility: it’s okay to revise plans based on testing or feedback
• Ensure look ahead discussions
• Practice periodic reviews to encourage reflection

​

​

Explorers experience sharing

Presenting Project Management at Judging

• Explain how judges look for evidence of teamwork and planning
• Show how to share the story
• “We used sticky notes to organize our tasks...”
• “We changed our timeline after our first test failed…”
• Encourage visuals like team posters, digital slides, or even a LEGO timeline

​

Explorers experience sharing

Q&A + Wrap-Up

• Planning gives teams confidence and direction
• Key lessons, questions and reflections
• Templates or planning tools available online, don’t want to restrict your creativity
• Feel free to contact me for help jupasosi@gmail.com
• Additional FLL resources at

https://azfll.engineering.asu.edu/

​

3-2-1 Lego!!!

​

Back up

August 2025

14

August 2025

15

2025-26 master schedule

https://azfll.engineering.asu.edu/fll-programs/challenge/